Stephen Spinella

Personal context

Summary

Stephen Spinella is an American stage and screen actor best known for originating Prior Walter in Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, a role that earned him two consecutive Tony Awards. His theatre work also includes Spring Awakening, A Bright Room Called Day, and The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures, alongside film and television roles. Spinella has said he was active in ACT UP in his thirties and has spoken about the AIDS crisis and the hostility openly gay performers faced in the theatre industry. He is publicly out as gay and has discussed the importance of understanding gay cultural experience while arguing that actors should be able to play characters of any sexuality.